Our Scotland - www.our-scotland.org

mairead · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:15 am Post subject: Battlefields.

For three years I have been campaigning to save the Sheriffnuir battlefield from destruction, and to prevent the desecration of the graves of our ancestors who lie on that field.
After a great deal of pressure on them, at last Historic Scotland are making a move and are running a questionaire on their site as to whether or not all Scottish battlefields should be protected by law as they are in England.
The deadline for the Sheriffmuir consultation is the 28th July and I would urge all those who seek to preserve our heritage to go into Historic Scotland's site and help save this site and any future battlesites which some consortium seeks to destroy. It is important that our heritage and that of our children gets the protection of the law.

www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

_________________
I fear not hell, nor English strife,
For Scotland, I will give my life

Neil · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:14 pm Post subject:

Most battlefield are on land of value on major roads, which is why people thought them worth fighting over in the first place. They also tend to be flat & relatively uninteresting which is why they make good battlefields. We already list enough buildings to cost the country 10s of billions each year & this would be starting another open ended commitment (what counts as a battle & how large the area covered are both subjective).

I think Historic Scotland are a big enough & parasitic enough quango as it is.
_________________
The aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.
H. L. Mencken

William_Cleland · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:51 pm Post subject:

Having been to Sheriffmuir I can tell you that it doesn't quite fit that pattern, Neil. The "muir" bit is probably the clue on that. Smile

I hope people are suggesting alternative routes rather than conducting outright opposition. The Denny Beauly upgrade is vital to Scotland's future. This link provides a wee reminder as to why:-

http://www.independent.co.uk/news...rejects-planning-bill-866957.html

[yes I know it is about England not Scotland, it just happens to be topical]

Neil · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:46 pm Post subject:

Fairly flat & near the A9 I would have said but you may know better Very Happy

However the Denny Beauly electricity upgrade is merely an expensive diversion from the fact that the"lights will go out by 2015" (as your link correctly says) if we don't do something serious to produce more. The Luddites are pushing it precisely because it is a useless diversion.
_________________
The aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.
H. L. Mencken

mairead · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:00 am Post subject:

The electricity cables could be routed underground, but the company say this is too expensive, however, they have already removed 52 pylons from the London area and put cables underground to make the place look better for the forthcoming Olympics.
Also, the Beuly to Denny power line is to be constructed to send cheaper electricity to the South of England, not to benefit Scotland.
If the south of England needs cheaper electricty, let them go to their nearest neighbours, France, 22 miles across or under the sea..
_________________
I fear not hell, nor English strife,
For Scotland, I will give my life

William_Cleland · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:58 am Post subject:

I suspected the usual nationalist narrative would be lumbering over the horizon soon enough. Smile

The SNP are anti-nuclear power and will use their current control of the planning process to kill off any attempt to replace Hunterston B and Torness with new nuclear facilities. That means they want to see a massive build up in renewables instead in order to keep the lights on in the central belt. To accomplish that the Denny Beauly upgrade is an absolute must.

http://www.scottishrenewables.com...c0202-1493-433a-8b0f-e4bcb66f0e98
_________________
No more boom and bust - Gordon Brown

Holebender · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:03 am Post subject:

Cables can be buried, but it costs 80 times more than running overhead lines. Just so you have an idea of the numbers involved.
_________________
"My instinct is to agree with your opinion of his verse, but I've never so much as glanced at it." - agentmancuso

Aventinian · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:00 am Post subject:

Neil · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:33 am Post subject: